Speeding minibus kills conductor, injures several

The dead man’s mother is being consoled by relatives at the Georgetown Hospital

By Latoya Giles and Rabindra Rooplall

A 30-year-old minibus conductor had his head crushed yesterday morning after the minibus hit a motorcar on the Rupert Craig Highway in the vicinity of Conversation Tree. Dead is Ervin Ramroop, 30, of Lot 1 Lusignan, East Coast Demerara. The mid-morning accident also left several other passengers nursing serious injuries at the Georgetown Public Hospital. The driver of the minibus has since been taken into custody and is assisting with investigations. The motorcar driver was released on station bail pending the outcome of the matter. The minibus driver who was identified only as “Kumar” and “One seed”, told reporters that he was travelling along the highway when he stopped at the intersection at Conversation Tree. The man said that the traffic light turned green and he was turning right into the Bel Air road at Conversation Tree when the taxi driver attempted to pass and clipped the rear of the bus, causing it to roll over about six times. Ramroop died on the spot. His body was left hanging through the window at the passenger door. Word of the accident quickly spread, and as relatives of the dead arrived at the scene they had their worst fears confirmed. The man’s mother, upon seeing her son’s body, started screaming hysterically and had to be comforted by relatives. Relatives of the dead man quickly covered the body as a large crowd gathered for a glimpse. Minister of Transport and Hydraulics, Robeson Benn, was in the vicinity of the accident carrying out remedial works on lighting poles in the area. Minister Benn said that he cannot comment on the accident since it was still in its investigation stage. The Minister said that conductors leaping through the bus windows should not be condoned. He also said that engineers would be inspecting the accident site. When this newspaper visited the man’s home, a number of relatives had gathered. His sister-in-law, Lalita, said she last saw Ramroop just before he left for work around 7:00hrs yesterday morning. “When he was leaving he said that he would have called me to bring out his food at the road top….but I never got that call,” the woman said. The woman said that Ramroop had been a conductor for the past 16 years. He had been working on that bus for the past four years. At the hospital, Renne Majid, 54, of lot 124 Montrose, East Coast Demerara, a survivor of the accident, said that she cannot remember exactly what happened. The woman’s right leg and left arm are fractured. “I really cannot remember what happened because it was so fast” the woman said fighting to hold back tears. She explained that the minibus was going at a moderate speed when she felt an impact. The woman’s daughter, Shree Majid, said someone called her telling her about the accident, and she quickly rushed to the hospital. Another survivor of the accident, Shamdai Mangra, 46, suffered injuries to the neck and head. She opined that it was the motorcar that caused the accident. “The minibus was not speeding….it was the car that hit us,” said the woman. Navin Deokarran, 21, received bruises to the back, head and foot. He was treated and sent away.
Ramroop leaves to mourn his wife, two children, his parents and siblings.
On Tuesday evening, another accident in the vicinity of conversation tree left 11-year-old Austin Ashley dead. His sisters, Alana and Ackenette, and mother, Paulette Lashley, were all injured in the accident.
A relative of the Lashleys said that the family had just left the flag raising ceremony at the National Park.